Motorcycle parking in Milan: an example to follow for Westminster?

October 11, 2009

We published a few posts in the last couple of months to show the motorcycle parking facilities in Paris, Barcelona and Singapore, and compared them with the ones in London, particularly Westminster (you will find the links at the end of this post). We were very impressed by the facilities provided in each city, free of charge, and we thought they were a great example to follow for Westminster, where the use of their third world motorcycle parking facilities is currently stealth taxed.

One of our Italian readers has this week forwarded on to us a few pictures of the motorcycle parking facilities in Milan. Not only spaces are individually delineated to provide plenty of room for bikes to park, without the risk of being damaged, but also excellent and user-friendly security devices are being provided free of charge, to which the front or back wheel of a bike can be locked, with the use of either a chain or U lock.

Motorcycle parking spaces and security devices in Milan

Is this not marvellous? Is this not exactly what we need in Westminster and the rest of London? Surely, with the millions of pounds that Westminster City Council have been cashing in from bikers for the past 14 months, they can afford the installation of such security devices, together with delineating individual spaces, like in Milan. But no, Westminster City Council have decided not to install any security devices in underground car parks, and have just bought 200 new security devices for on-street parking (look on page 9 here), but will they look like the ones in Milan? Or perhaps, they will look like the ones in Paris shown below? We would be very surprised if they did, since Westminster City Council have ignored the requirements and opinions of thousands of motorcyclists in the past year, so why would they suddenly start to listen now, eh?

Motorcycle parking spaces and security devices in Paris

In Milan, as in Paris, Barcelona and Singapore, motorcycles are seen as a key transport solution to prevent congestion and, for this reason, their use is highly encouraged by the local authorities. In Westminster, on the other hand, motorcycles are seen as cash cows, easy targets for the Council to raise revenue. They don’t care about the many benefits that motorcycles bring to a congested and polluted environment, all they care about is how much money motorcyclists can bring in to the Council, by stealth taxing them to use their third world parking bays. Below is an illustration of what you get for your money in Westminster:-

Over-crowded and stealth taxed motorcycle parking bay in Westminster, with no security devices

Over-crowded and stealth taxed motorcycle parking bay in Westminster, with no security devices

Tell us how you think a bike can squeeze in and be taken out of over-crowded bays like the one above, without being damaged? You can’t even walk in between the bikes, so how can you unlock or park your bike in these conditions, without damaging others? But what can you expect from Westminster, since one of their councillors believes that “motorcycles, even small ones, pollute more than hummers” (Councillor Burbridge)?

So here you have it, not a single penny collected from motorcyclists, keen to benefit the environment by using bikes, has so far been specifically reinvested into motorcycle parking in Westminster, hence the crap bays as shown above. This doesn’t come to us as a surprise, since some Westminster Councillors believe that cars are greener and less congestant than bikes. And Councillor Burbridge believes that “being environmentally friendly would be to encourage motorbikers to use more public transport”, while of course she gives herself the benefit of a free official parking permit for her car. We didn’t know that a London double-decker bus was less pollutant than a motorcycle, interesting isn’t it? Is common sense an optional skill to be a councillor in Westminster?

We now leave you with some more pictures of the motorcycle parking facilities in Milan. Note how bikes are allowed to park on the pavement, along the edge of the road, without obstructing the footway. For those of you based in or commuting into Westminster, don’t be too jealous as, according to Councillor Danny Chalkley, Westminster City Council are committed to provide “excellent parking facilities across Central London”! Yeah, all right Danny, you need to go out more…

Motorcycle parking in Milan, on the pavement, along the edge of the road, without blocking the footway

Please join and support the legal fight to get the bike parking tax in Westminster scrapped before it spreads all over the UK and the European Union. The next demonstration is on 31st October 2009, don’t miss it! For further details, visit http://www.notobikeparkingtax.com/